Kolkata: The West Bengal Health Department has brought about a major reshuffle in the WB Medical Council, replacing all three nominated members who were appointed during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime.
The three state-nominated council members who have been replaced are Dr Nirmal Maji, Dr Sourav Pal and Dr Asim Kumar Sarkar.
Maji was a three-time Trinamool Congress legislator from Uluberia (Uttar) Assembly constituency in Kolkata-adjacent Howrah district and was also a minister in the previous Mamata Banerjee-led cabinet. However, in the recent Assembly elections, he was defeated by Bharatiya Janata Party’s Chiran Bera by a margin of over 4,000 votes.
These three erstwhile Council members have been replaced by Dr Pranat Tudu, Dr Kalyan Asish Mukhopadhyay and Dr Mrinmay Adhikari.
A notification of these replacements was issued this morning, and three new state-nominated members will take charge at the earliest.
Dr Tudu is the first-time BJP legislator from Binpur Assembly constituency in tribal-dominated Jhargram district. He was elected as an MLA after defeating Birbaha Hansda, a Santali actress and minister of state for forests in the previous Mamata Banerjee-led cabinet, by a margin of around 23,000 votes.
During the previous Trinamool Congress regime, the West Bengal Medical Council elections were held last time in 2022. The opposition had alleged widespread rigging in favour of the then ruling party and demanded a re-election. This created controversy, with Maji accused of being the mastermind behind that rigging.
Even though the new BJP-ruled government has come to power in West Bengal, there is little chance of fresh elections, since the end of the current Council term is still a long way away. Hence, the state government has replaced the three state government-nominated members in the Council
During the previous Trinamool Congress regime, the State Medical Council and, especially Maji, had been at the centre of controversies several times. The role of the council in the ghastly R.G. Kar rape-murder case in August 2024 was questioned then.
Maji was even accused of arranging the dialysis of a pet dog belonging to one of his relatives at a reputed medical college and hospital in Kolkata.
(IANS)
